


Tended Wounds

by I_hover_for_fun



Series: Hurt/Comfort Prompts Starring One Nerdy Wizard [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series), Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt Caleb Widogast, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23556994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_hover_for_fun/pseuds/I_hover_for_fun
Summary: "Hey, don't do that, you'll hurt yourself."Caleb had been scratching his burning, scarred arms all night to no relief. Can a certain Half-Orc, Warlock help with this problem?
Relationships: Fjord & Caleb Widogast, Fjord/Caleb Widogast
Series: Hurt/Comfort Prompts Starring One Nerdy Wizard [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1694086
Comments: 2
Kudos: 203





	Tended Wounds

**Author's Note:**

> Second story in my Critical Role h/c prompts!! Man, this quarantine has really got me writing XD  
> Also- my tumblr is @i-hover-for-fun in case you want to send a prompt!  
> Anyway, I decided to skip the last prompt because it required a more modern setting and I wasn't in the mood to write an AU today, so today's prompt is:
> 
> "Hey, don't do that, you'll hurt yourself."
> 
> Enjoy!!

Caleb’s scars itched. 

It wasn’t unusual, the burning, scratching feeling, but it usually came in the pitch black night, when no-one was around to watch him rub at his forearms, trying to sooth the awful feeling. However, now he found himself tugging down his sleeves in the light of the setting sun, desperately trying to hide his frantic scratching.

They were on the road, heading North somewhere for yet another adventure. Caleb, Nott, and Fjord were sitting in the back of the cart, the latter two engaged in a conversation that Caleb had lost track of an hour ago.

Mollymauk was sitting at the front of the cart, guiding the horses onward, occasionally shouting back to the others to spark a new topic of conversation. Jester, Yasha, and Beau were situated on a few horses scattered around the cart, keeping watch for anything out of the ordinary.

Caleb scratched at his arm again. He needed a distraction, something to help him make it until dark, when no-one would watch him unwrap his arms and scratch at his awful scars. Scratch until the feeling ceased, sometimes until they bled.

“Hey, Caleb, what do you think?”

“Huh? What?” Caleb snapped his head up to look at Nott after she asked him the question. He knew it was obvious that he hadn’t exactly been present in the conversation. “What were you talking about?”

Fjord smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He looked vaguely worried. “Nott and I were just discussing the odds of a fight between Schmidt and Frumpkin. I think Schmidt would win, but Nott is dead set on Frumpkin.”

Caleb let out a breathy laugh and rubbed his arms once more before sitting up the rest of the way. “I think I will have to agree with Nott on this one, Frumpkin has the-” He held up his hands and bent his fingers forward, “- The claws. You know?”

Fjord shook his head from side to side as he leaned against the back wall of the cart. “Where is that cat of yours anyway?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Caleb snapped his fingers, summoning Frumpkin to rub against Fjord’s leg in a comforting manner. The cat purred as Fjord reached his hand down and scratched behind his ears.

“He’s right there, my friend,” Caleb smiled as the words left his mouth. But the snap of his fingers had aggravated his scars even more, and he could feel the awful burning sensation increase tenfold. He hissed slightly in pain as he yanked his arms back to his chest, crossing them and rubbing them to try and alleviate the feeling.

“Caleb, are you feeling okay? You’ve been quieter than normal today?” Nott crept over to where Caleb was sitting and plopped down in front of him. He was across from Fjord, but now Nott sat between them, doting over Caleb.

“Yes, yes. I am fine, liebling. Do not concern yourself,” Caleb spoke softly.

Fjord piped in from behind her. “Are you sure? You have been quite-”

“Unload the cart, ladies and gents! We’re stopping here for the night!” Molly interrupted Fjord’s words as he parked the cart off the side of the grassy path. The girl’s dismounted their horses as Fjord, Caleb, and Nott slid off the back of the cart.

Caleb found himself feeling relieved as Jester dragged Nott and Fjord away to show them an interesting cloud she found. He slunk into himself, scratched his arms, and walked away to help Molly and Yasha set up camp.

It took them precisely 44 minutes to get everything in order- a fire started, sleeping pallets set up, the horses tended to, among other things. The group ate a quick dinner (some sort of animal Nott had found in the woods) and settled down to sleep.

Caleb set up his wire, watching the others get comfortable. He had volunteered for the first watch, hoping to finally have some privacy and a chance to rewrap his arms. The itching had escalated into a burning and then continued into a searing pain. It was practically unbearable, leaving him to mercilessly scratch at his arms.

Of course, Caleb was not lucky enough to be left completely alone.

Fjord was sat an awkward four feet away from the man, glancing over occasionally to see him casually unwrapping his bandages.

Caleb finished the job and paused, looking down at his red and raw forearms. He had been bothering his skin all day with no relief, and he could see the damage his hands had done, even through the bandages. 

And still it itched and burned.

He started scratching furiously at the scars, giving into his temptation to try in vain to get rid of the awful feeling. It felt like knives, pulling on his skin, ripping it apart, drawing blood where there had not been blood before. But it was better than that horrible sensation he had felt all day.

The wizard lost all sense of reality, only concerned with the searing relief of his endeavors. The painful pleasure of picking at scars, long healed over his skin, over his pain. And it hurt so bad, felt so-

Fjord’s head snapped up in the direction of Caleb, hearing the frantic sound of scratching.

“Whoa. Hey. No!” The warlock’s voice rose slightly as he moved quickly in the direction of the man, still scratching at his arms. 

He caught Caleb’s wrists in one of his hands and looked at the old scars, accented with new streaks of blood where he had been fooling with them. Caleb, only feeling the itching return, struggled in Fjord’s hold, trying to extract himself from the larger man’s grip.

“Hey,” Fjord said sternly, “Don’t do that, you’ll hurt yourself.”

Caleb stopped his movements and looked up at the Half-Orc. “Ok, yeah, sorry.”

“No need to apologize, just don’t do it anymore.” Fjord’s voice quieted back to a whisper, mindful of the others’ need to rest. “I don’t want you gettin’ hurt.”

Caleb nodded. “I’m sorry, the situation got a little out of control.” He looked down to his bleeding forearms. “It just itched and stung and burned so badly. I couldn’t do anything.”

“If I let go, d’you promise not to move until I get back?” Fjord was closer now, just inches away from Caleb, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

Lost for words, the man merely nodded quickly.

Fjord let go of Caleb’s wrists and got to his feet. He walked out of the man’s vision, presumably to get something from his pack. He returned moments later with a small glass container in his palm.

“This oughta help with the itchin’ and burnin’. It’s some sort of ‘soothing cream’ Jester gave me a few weeks back.” As he spoke, he gently lifted Caleb’s left arm.

Caleb was pliant, thankful that Fjord might be able to provide the relief he needed.

And that he did.

As soon as the white cream melted into his skin, a tingly rush of cool comfort flooded Caleb’s senses. He let out a sigh and leaned forward slightly. Fjord continued his menstrations until both of his arms had been tended to.

“Is that any better?” Fjord removed his hands from Caleb’s arms and moved to lay them onto each of his shoulders. 

“Yeah, a lot. Thank you.” 

“Now I’m not gonna ask about these scars,” Fjord gestured down to Caleb’s arms, “I know you’ll tell us about them when you’re ready, if you ever are. No pressure. As for right now, how ‘bout we get you rewrapped and off to bed? Our watch should be almost over- not that we’ve done much watchin’.”

Caleb snickered. “Yes, I suppose we did drop the ball on that aspect.”

Fjord just chuckled.

He gently rewrapped Caleb’s arms under the light of the moon, being careful not to disturb the scars and cuts. He hoped that he wasn’t crossing a line by helping Caleb in such a way, but the man didn’t seem to mind, leaning into his touches and ever so subtly careening forward.

Fjord woke Jester and Beau for the next watch and they didn’t comment as he guided Caleb to lay down on the sleeping pallet beside him.

And if he still held on to Caleb’s wrist as they drifted off to sleep, no-one said a word.


End file.
